An Evil Obsession
by merurikku
Summary: a lovely fayexvicious story....one of the very few that's out there *sniff*
1. A Touch of Fear

Chapter One  
  
Faye quietly lit a cigarette, its spark braking through the darkness for a brief moment before being consumed once again. She sighed, waiting patiently for the jail guard to come and tell her that smoking in cells wasn't allowed. Yes, that's when she'd spring her move.  
  
The rustling of keys told her that the moment was coming. Knowing this, Faye deliberately blew smoke out past the bars so that the guard would notice. She smiled with pure satisfaction as he stopped and turned towards her cell.  
  
"Faye...."  
  
"Yeah, yeah, I know," she said, smoothly letting the cigarette fall from her fingers and drop to the floor. She stood up from the bunk bed and flipped back her purple hair, taking detailed notes on how and where the guard was watching her. Faye timed her steps so that as she walked forward, a heeled toe landed directly on the cigarette butt, putting it out immediately. She slunk over to the bars and pressed through those few curves in which she knew would get the guard's full attention. Sure enough, the guard had become fully aroused. Faye, being the con artist and stunning beauty that she was, had grown used to this sort of attention, and by now half expected it.   
  
She warmed her voice into its richest, softest tone. "But you know, sometimes I can't help but to smoke. I get so lonely down here all by myself with these," she gestured with her hand towards the other cells, "women." She threw him a seductive smile. "Would you do me..." she paused, "a big favor and help me get rid of my loneliness?"  
  
The guard, very willing to take Faye's offer, greedily fumbled at the keys, his fingers searching for the one to Faye's cell. She watched him with utter sympathy, knowing that the little boy jumping around below his belt wouldn't be getting any new toys tonight. Faye rolled her eyes as the key was found and harshly shoved through the keyhole.   
  
Just as the cell bars were being shoved back, a large eruption shook the jail grounds. The guard cursed and ran off, muttering something that Faye couldn't understand into his walkie-talkie. Faye let out an aggravated sigh and let her arms drop weakly to her sides. Spike really needed to learn the meaning of the word 'discreet', she thought to herself while calmly making her way through the jail hall, ignoring the groans and taunting calls coming from the other women prisoners.   
  
As Faye neared the exit, another explosion was heard (and felt), but this time much closer than before. Faye followed the sound, and was soon being greeted by a flurry of guards all dead at her feet. She rolled her eyes as she turned a corner just in time to see Spike shoot a guard, on the ground begging for mercy, in the head.   
  
"Mercy is for losers."   
  
Faye sighed. "Are you quite finished?"  
  
Spike looked up and grinned that stupid manly grin that she found oh so annoying. "Hey! I was just looking for you."  
  
She looked around her, eyes heavy with sarcasm and disgust. "Well obviously you were a little too preoccupied."  
  
He laughed nervously, noticing quite well the dangerous look Faye was giving him. "Yeah. I think I went a little overboard."  
  
"Whatever," she stated, beginning to make her way through the dead bodies. "Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to leave. I've been in this hell-hole for way too long." She took out a second cigarette and gestured to Spike to light it for her. He reached into the back of his jeans to retrieve his lighter, all the while looking at her skeptically.   
  
"It was only a week, Faye."  
  
"Only a week?" she cried, enunciating the 'only'. "Yeah, to you maybe, who hasn't been able to get out of jail for years. A week's a record for me Spike, and you know it. These goddamn jails are getting tighter security every year." She turned to head to the ship when an earlier thought suddenly came flooding back to her.  
  
"Oh and Spike?" she added with sickly sweetness. "Since when did you think?"  
  
Faye continued to turn and walked off, smiling at herself for leaving Spike with such an excellent that not even he could answer. Then again, she doubted if anyone could answer it. And pondering this idea, Fay never noticed the piercing eyes that scanned her every moment from the shadows, nor the beat of black wings as they dragged themselves through the air. Wings that were silent, but held deadly speed.  
  
  
  
"Would you chill out already?!" Faye was screaming at Jet, who was, unsurprisingly, fuming at her for getting caught yet again. "It wasn't that big a con."  
  
"Oh no!" Jet shouted back with equal force. "A con is never too big for our Faye! She can handle anything!"  
  
"And get caught in the process," Spike added with a puff of cigarette smoke.  
  
Faye threw him a nasty look. "You're not helping."  
  
"Was I supposed to be?"  
  
"Argh!" Faye had had enough. These men were starting to graze her last nerve. It was time to go.  
  
"I'm going for a walk, if anyone cares," she stated with a huff.  
  
"Don't come back anytime soon," Jet called after her.  
  
"Maybe I won't!" she retorted, making sure that the door slammed loud and hard behind her. "Men are such idiots," she muttered to herself, wrapping her black coat more tightly around her body. Maybe tonight wasn't such a good night to take a walk, she thought as the sharp wind nipped and snapped at her skin.   
  
It was a dark night for June, unnaturally dark. It was a good night for surreal activity. Faye smiled slightly. It was the perfect evening for her type of people; people who lied and stole and cheated. She could sense the tension and suspicion in the air, loving every minute of it. But there was something else, something that Faye didn't like. There was a strong sensation of being watched that had been following Faye around ever since the final night at that horrid prison. And no matter how hard Faye tried shake it off, the feeling just seemed to make itself stronger. It was stronger than ever now, and Faye found herself to be jumpy and self-conscious; two traits which normally wouldn't even been to have been found in the deepest depths of Faye's soul. So why did she feel them now? And so, wanting to be in a place that gave her comfort, Faye entered the nearest club and hoped that this treacherous feeling would soon give way.  
  
Almost immediately feeling better once inside, Faye took a seat at the bar. Not really in the mood for a heavy drink, she ordered a shot of gin, just to keep her on her toes. As usual, the searching, probing eyes of men found their way to Faye and stayed there, seemingly burning holes into her delicate skin. Faye shrugged them off, concentrating on nothing in particular, until a sudden penetrating cold shot straight up her spine, making her go completely rigid.   
  
"So, we meet again, Ms. Valentine."   
  
That voice... it was so cold and heartless. Faye remembered the first time she had heard that voice. It had terrified her with such completeness that she hadn't been able to move. Almost like it did now....  
  
"Hello again, Vicious."  
  
Faye didn't bother turning around: she knew perfectly well what she would see. Cold fear racked her body as icy hands were placed on her bare shoulders, and then uneasiness as they slid slowly down her back.  
  
"So...you remember?"  
  
The small laugh she gave was horribly weak, and she was afraid that he had noticed. "How could I have forgotten?"  
  
She could feel him smirking at her back. He slipped to her left side to take the empty seat. The black bird that made Vicious its home, rustled and shifted its position on his shoulder. Faye tilted her head to the left so she could make out the features of the man next to her.   
  
His long silver hair hid most of his face from view, but Faye could still see the sharp nose that protruded out from the flurry of hair. The clothes that he wore were dark and undisturbed, as if there was no body that inhabited them, and they moved on their own. But what she really wanted to see was his face, and Faye knew all too well that Vicious hated to show his face, trying to hide the scar under the patch that lurked there. Any normal woman would've been too afraid to ask him. But then again, Faye was no normal woman.   
  
"Show me your face."  
  
"Was that an order, Ms. Valentine?"  
  
She grew defensive. "So what if it was?"  
  
Vicious snickered quietly, and before knew what was happening, he was up and behind her, a long, cold hand clasped firmly around her neck. He leaned in close, the breath hot on her ear.   
  
"I don't take orders."  
  
With that, he was gone.  
  
Faye slowly let her breathing return to normal. Sudden claustrophobia overwhelmed her. She had to leave. She had to get out. Anywhere was better than where she was. Faye got up quickly, snapping her head from side to side to make sure no one was watching, and if they were not really caring. Faye then left the club, trying to act calm, and trying even more to clear her mind of Vicious. He filled her every nerve, her every cell. His heartbeat was her own, his blood flowed and grew strong within hers.   
  
"Stop it Faye," she spoke aloud to herself. "Just stop it." She reached the door and stopped, taking a moment to inhale deeply. Trying to be as quiet as possible, she opened the door. Her efforts, as she soon found, were in vain.   
  
"FAYE!"  
  
Oh God, what'd I do now, she thought in despair, closing...and then locking...the door.   
  
"FAYE! GET IN HERE!"  
  
"What is it?" she questioned Jet smoothly, entering the room.  
  
"Where have you been? Do you know what time it is?"  
  
Her eyes automatically rolled in their sockets. "Aw, I didn't know you cared Jet. So what are you now, my mother?"   
  
Jet growled menacingly at her, and she shook a long index finger.  
  
"Temper, temper. You know what it does to you cholesterol level."  
  
Why can't there be a mute button for that man?, she thought with grievance.   
  
"Faye-Faye?"  
  
Little Edward poked her head up from the computer. "Where ya goin'?"  
  
Faye smiled. At least Ed cared about her well-being. "I'm gonna retire for the night. Thank you for caring Ed."  
  
She hinted the last sentence at Spike, who hadn't even acknowledged the fact that she had returned. As if Spike had read her mind, his head lifted so that his eyes met with hers.  
  
"Going to bed Faye? Who with this time?"  
  
Jet burst out into a fit of giggles, while Faye didn't find the comment so amusing. "I'm going to ignore that Spike," she stated, walking to her own quarters and the locking the door behind her. Why did men have to be such dicks? Honestly, just because they had one didn't entitle them to be one. Faye shook her head and hastily stripped herself of her day-clothes and replaced them with lingerie type pajamas. She climbed laboriously over all the stray items that cluttered her floor and slipped into bed, pulling the sheets all the way up to her neck. As tired as she was, she found it difficult to close her eyes, fearing that if she did, she would miss the shadow that crept by.   
  
Stupid girl. Just go to sleep.   
  
Faye turned onto one side. Slowly, she let her heavy lids droop over her eyes. Just as they did, an image of Vicious, beautiful and terrible all at once, came like a jolt of lightning that pierced through her mind. Faye's eyes snapped open. The image of Vicious was still there, and it was a long time before Faye could remove it and was able to sleep.   
  
  
  
  
So......whaddya think??? I'm writing the second chapter right now.....it should be up soon. At least I hope so. In the next chapter, things start to heat up between Faye and Vicious. And oh..what's this... Julia? R&R plz! 


	2. An Unexpected Greeting

Chapter 2  
  
Light poured into the silent bedroom, illuminating the still sleeping Faye. She snored softly, entranced in a peaceful dream. Ed watched her carefully. She didn't want to wake Faye up, especially since this was the only time when she really ever got peace. But it was almost noon, and Ed knew all too well that Faye hated to get a late start in the day.  
  
"Faye-Faye?"  
  
No answer. This time, Ed shook her slightly.  
  
"Faye-Faye? C'mon, wake up."  
  
The sleeping beauty groaned and opened her eyes. She turned over onto her right side and looked at Ed groggily. "Wha-Ed? What...time is it?"  
  
"It's almost twelve."  
  
"What?!" Faye shot up, the sleep that had once been trapped in her head now set free. "Are you joking? God, Spike is never gonna let me forget this."  
  
She jumped out of bed, Ed looking at her anxiously. Faye noticed this and turned to the younger girl, smiling. "Hey Ed, could you do me a big favor and make me some coffee?"  
  
Ed nodded and rushed out of the room, a happy (whatever her dog's name is...I forgot it) there to greet her. Faye shook her head, still smiling. Kids were so cute these days.  
  
Faye got dressed in somewhat of a hurry, pulling on skimpy black shorts and a blue tank. She fastened the holster of her gun securely to her hips, making sure that the mouth of the gun was facing downwards. A knock on the door interrupted the process of brushing her hair, and not wanting to stop, Faye called to whoever it was that the door was open.   
  
Unfortunately, it was Spike who came in. "Lovely afternoon, isn't it Faye?"  
  
She ignored his statement and got directly to the point. "What do you want Spike?"  
  
"Ms. Valentine has received a telegram," he told her, holding up a brown envelope. "Would Ms. Valentine like to see her telegram?"  
  
Faye winced at the way Spike addressed her. Vicious always called her "Ms. Valentine"....  
  
"Hand it over Spike."  
  
"Or what?" he mocked. "You'll hit me?"  
  
"No, I'll shoot you. And as soon as you hit the floor, I'll pry the thing out of your cold dead fingers."  
  
Spike thought of this for a moment. He knew Faye would do it, and Faye knew she would do it. Spike shook his head. "I think I'll just give it to you now, and save you the cost of a funeral," he said handing it to her.   
  
Faye snatched it from his grasp and gave him a sarcastic look. "It's funny that you call a funeral being buried in a ditch," she said, beginning to open it. She stopped when he remained standing in the doorway. "Um, you can leave now."  
  
"Oh c'mon! I wanna see who it's from!" he protested.  
"No, really Spike. You can leave," she explained, slowly closing the door on him.   
  
"But, hey...!"  
  
"Good bye Spike." And the door was shut.  
  
With him gone, Faye was free to open the telegram. She wondered with slight anxiousness at who the letter could've been from. Very few to no people knew where she was, and she personally saw to it that if they did want to find her, it wouldn't be that easy. After all she was a wanted criminal. Unless of course it was from those lawyer-type people apologizing for the delay on some trial Faye had forgotten about, and had probably gotten herself out of a long time ago. But if it was, then how did they manage to find her here...?  
  
All these thoughts rushed through Faye's head as the letter was unfolded. Her eyes scanned its contents, the breathing that came from her mouth becoming more sparse and shallow with every word taken in. She had never expected this to happen, especially not here. And as Faye's eyes fell upon the final word of the telegram, her breathing ceased completely.  
  
Vicious.  
  
She began to read through the letter again, this time taking note of every detail. She memorized the long flowing curves of Vicious' writing, making sure that if she ever saw it again, she'd know it right away. Faye swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. The letter was swiftly refolded and hidden away under her pillow. Not really understanding what she was about to do, nor what the consequences would be, Faye grabbed the nearest coat and some money and left her room, not taking any notice of Spike who had been patiently waiting for her to come out.   
  
"So, who was it from...?" he started, trying to get her attention.  
  
But Faye was in no mood to talk. "Get out of my way," she snapped, shoving him aside.   
  
"Hey, hey! Wait a minute...." he tried again, this time holding his hands out to stop her.  
  
"I said MOVE!" Faye shoved him back with such surprising force and strength that Spike was overwhelmed and clumsily fell backwards into the wall. Watching her exit through the door, Spike gently rubbed the sore spot on his chest where Faye had rammed her elbow into him. What is up with her, he thought, standing up on aching limbs. He figured that the only way he would understand what the hell was going on, was to find out what that telegram had said. Instinctively, Spike made his way to Faye's room to do just that.   
  
Now where could that little sucker be? Spike had pretty much overturned every inch of Faye's room, and still there was no letter to be found. Well, there was still the bed to check, but Spike wouldn't dare go within three feet of that thing....  
  
Spike smacked himself on the head for his stupidity. Of course Faye would hide it there. It was the only place that she knew he wouldn't look. Well, Spike thought. I'll show her. Gingerly. He began to check the bed, knowing with sheer humor that Faye slept there. Slowly he lifted up the pillow. Bingo. He snatched the paper from its place on the bed. Unfolding it, he was surprised to see that the writing was familiar in an eerie sort of way. In fact, it was almost identical to.... No, it couldn't be. But Spike was already doubting himself as he began to trace the words with his eyes.  
  
Dear Ms. Valentine,  
  
If you will, meet me at the Grand Palace Hotel at nine o'clock this evening. I have arranged for a private meeting there, and I would very much appreciate it if you arrived alone. I have taken the liberty of providing you with a private escort, just so I can have the secure feeling that you in fact are alone and, of course unarmed. Please do remember that if a scene is created, there will be no hesitation in the killing of innocents. You will be prompt and on time; I will except no lateness. I look forward to our meeting.   
  
As Always,  
  
Vicious.  
  
Spike crumpled the letter between his hands and threw it against the wall. Faye was in deep trouble, and he doubted that she had any idea what she was getting herself into. She had after all tried to go up against Vicious before, and that had ended in her being captured and Spike falling out of a window. He looked at his watch. It was three o'clock. Faye still had some time to get away, but would she? No, Faye wouldn't run. And it was this knowledge that worried Spike the most.   
  
  
  
Seven o'clock. That gave Faye only two hours to decide what she was going to do. She lit a cigarette, the hand holding the lighter mildly shaking. She hoped that it would help to clear her thoughts. Vicious...what did he want with her? Something about this wasn't right, and Faye could feel it. But then why was her mind arguing that it was only Vicious?  
  
Ha. Faye laughed at herself. Only Vicious, yeah right. Only the man who would go so far as to kill innocents to get what he wanted. Only the man who was behind the most famous assassinations in history. Only the man who had finally been able to get to her.... Something inside Faye snapped, revealing the harsh reality before her. Vicious was the only man ever to mean something to her. All the other men that she had come into contact with her was for one of three reasons. The first was because she was bored and wanted a quick lay, the second was because she was bored and killed off the men with bounties on their heads, and the last was because she was bored and wanted to annoy the hell out of Spike and Jet, who both in her mind really couldn't be considered men, but since they had that little extra organ they were close enough. But Vicious was something different, something more. The way he was excited her. He was so violent, so dangerous. There were those who feared the mere mention of his name. Faye shuddered, but it wasn't from fear. Vicious was up to something, she was sure of that. And tonight, Faye would find out exactly what that something was....  
  
"Faye? Faye Valentine?"  
  
Faye turned her head, snapping back into reality. "Do I know you?"   
  
The woman standing in front of Faye shook her head, which was covered in a glorious mess of blond hair. "No, I don't think so. But maybe Spike has said something about me."  
  
Faye raised an eyebrow. "You know Spike?"  
  
"Yes. My name is Julia. Nice to meet you."  
  
Oh, so this was the famous Julia. Funny, I got the impression she was dead. Faye twisted a strand of purple hair.   
  
"So, why are you here?"  
  
"Actually, I just got off work," Julia told her, gesturing to the building at Faye's back. "I saw you sitting here and I figured that maybe Spike would be around here somewhere...."  
  
"Well he's not," Faye interrupted, standing up. "Now, is there anything else I can do for you? I really am in a hurry."  
  
There was obvious disappointment on Julia's face, and Faye wasn't sure if it was because she had to leave or because of the fact Spike wasn't there.   
  
"Oh, well in that case, I better let you go. Say hi to Spike for me when you see him." Her face went slightly pink. "And tell him I love him."  
  
Faye forced a smile. "Righty-oh. Bu-bye." She turned and began to walk away.  
  
"Bye!" Julia called to her. "Remember to tell Spike for me!"  
  
Yeah, I'll remember, Faye thought bitterly. Next week.  
  
With it now eight o'clock (Faye pondered on how the time went by so quickly), it occurred to Faye that if she was actually going to meet Vicious tonight, she would need something to wear. Of course there was that stunning black dress she had hanging in her closet. But that dress was getting old, and Faye thought it time for a change. Plus Vicious had already seen her in that dress, and she doubted that.... Faye stopped and cursed herself for lack of self-control. Reality check Faye, her conscious scolded. Why would Vicious care what you're wearing? But despite her best efforts, Faye still found herself entering an evening attire shop and searching through the selections.  
  
Within five minutes she had found the perfect dress. It was a deep, sensual shade of midnight blue with an overlay that came down over the sides which was a shade or two lighter. The neck was designed in halter fashion and was extremely low cut. The dress itself came with a sash that was in the same shade of blue. Because her arms felt so bare, Faye bought a pair of black silken gloves that came up past her elbow and right below the shoulder.   
  
With it now almost eight thirty, Faye thought it would be a good time to head back. She bought the dress and left the store, now looking for a place to change. On the way, she bought a pair of black shoes with several straps, just to finish off the look. She then entered a small posh restaurant and asked the manager if she could use the bathroom. Once there, she entered a stall and changed into her dress. Naturally knowing a secret way to hide things, Faye lifted a tile off the bathroom floor and made a crevice for her clothes. She neatly laid the tile back into place and made it look as though it had never been disturbed. Faye took two bobby pins and pinned back her short hair for a more elegant look. Bright red lipstick was placed over her lips, and heavy mascara and eyeliner were put on to accent her eyes. To put it simply, Faye looked stunning. She left the restaurant and walked back to her temporary home, attracting quite a few stares along the way. It seemed, as Faye soon found out, that her "escorts" as Vicious had mentioned in the letter were already there for her.   
  
"Is Ms. Valentine in tonight?" the larger one asked the old man at the door.   
  
"No, she hasn't been in all day," Jet told them grumpily.   
  
Faye slanted her eyes. Maybe now wasn't a good time to go back. She backed up, planning to head to the hotel herself, when a strong hand grasped her by the arm.   
  
"Going somewhere, Ms. Valentine?"  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
EEE! how scary!!! okay, i have one more chapter to do, and then I'm done!!! yay! I'm sure u just cant wait till the next chapt comes out. I'll try to be quicker with this one. don't forget to R&R!! 


	3. A Heart Revealed

Um, sorry it's taken so long in getting this up. I've been REALLY busy over the past like month and a half, and I like JUST had time to do this. So BE HAPPY!!  
  
  
Chapter 3  
  
"Vici...."  
  
"Shh," he said, putting a long finger to her lips, then moving it so as to trace the curves of her face. Faye pulled at her sore wrist, but doing so only made Vicious clasp tighter, so she stopped. The clasp was now so tight, that she had to let out a small yelp of pain, despite her best efforts not to. Vicious smiled and lifted the wrist up to his face, kissing it gently. Faye could feel her heart pounding harder in her chest as he did so.  
  
What is he doing? she thought with wild suspicion.   
  
A long black care suddenly pulled up in front of them. Faye turned her head back to the door of the Bebop, finding it deserted. She had only a slight idea of what was going on, and yet she didn't feel at all uneasy. Vicious' cold hand was placed on her bare shoulder, forcing her out of her thoughts.  
  
"Come Ms. Valentine. It's time to go."  
  
The door of the black car was opened, revealing inside the soft leather interior. Faye barely breathed as she felt herself being led towards it by the strong and sure arm of Vicious. She held her breath as she climbed in, Vicious closely behind her. She took a seat and quietly adjusted her dress. The door was   
closed and within seconds the engine started. Before she knew it, they were driving like a shadow along the road. Faye could feel Vicious' piercing eyes on her at every moment. Normally, Faye would have easily shrugged off the eyes; she'd had to do it enough times. But the eyes of Vicious were different. Too different. They saw more than just the surface, Faye was sure of it. She looked down, trying with all her might not to submit to them. Finally she gave in, and being the woman of attitude she was, she met the eyes with a sassy glare, only to be met by pure evil and satisfaction.  
  
"What are you staring at?"  
  
Her heart began to pound rapidly again. What would he do? And even more, what would he say?  
  
But Vicious said nothing, and only a light smirk and a shake of his head gave her the slightest idea of what he was thinking.  
  
A wash of boldness suddenly came over Faye, and she continued to stare at her captor.  
  
"And what exactly was it you were thinking? It must have been quite funny to make you laugh so hard."  
  
"Would you really like to know?"  
  
Faye shifted in her seat, tucking a purple strand of hair neatly behind her ear. "Might as well while we're sitting here."  
  
He sighed and looked down, and it seemed to Faye that he appeared very sad.   
  
"The true question is: Would you believe me if I told you?"  
  
She arched an eyebrow at him. Why would he care about what she believed and what she didn't?   
  
It didn't make any sense. "What?" she inclined. "You scared I'll disapprove?"  
  
He returned to himself by giving a soft sinister laugh. "I thought you were beautiful."  
  
Faye scoffed. She didn't believe him. "Do you know just how many men have told me that in order to get a quick screw?"  
  
"Yes, but how many men have actually meant it?"  
  
Faye opened her mouth to reply but stopped, suddenly unsure of what to say. If any other person had said that, she would've immediately taken the comment as an insult. But coming from Vicious, she wasn't sure at all what to make of it.   
  
The car came to a screeching halt, causing Faye to jump. She peered out the window to see the place where she had been taken. A large black building loomed over head. No clear signs of life were being emitted from its depth, and there was no light to be seen. To door was opened and before Faye could blink,   
Vicious had slipped out and was already headed towards the building doors. She slid forward and took the ready hand of the driver, stepping out of the car. The driver had thus tried to take her arm, seemingly wanting to lead her towards the building, but Faye knew where she was going, and being the independent woman she was, yanked it away and hurried after Vicious.  
  
The great doors of the building had been left open and there were now two husky looking guards at either side. She hurried past them and stood in awe at the scene before her. The circular patterned floor was tiled and was finished off with a dome shaped roof. A grand staircase was fixated in the center, and it branched off into two separate staircases, which led opposite ways. To Faye, it looked like something that came out of a bad movie set than the inside of a dead, deserted old warehouse.   
  
The closing and barring of doors snapped Faye back into the real world while throwing her into pitch black. Blindly, she searched along the wall for a switch, thinking all the while with annoyance that they could've at least had the decency to keep some lights on. The passing moments made her anxious and even more frustrated.  
  
Goddamn it. Where is that fucking switch...and where the fuck is Vicious...?  
  
Just as her fingers brushed something that felt like a light switch, the lights came blazing on. Faye's eyes stung severely with the sudden brightness, which caused her to squint for more than a several moments. Figuring she should be somewhere other than where she was, Faye headed towards the staircase. Just then, a sudden thought came over her. Vicious' little henchmen hadn't followed her inside. Did they actually expect her to know where she was going? Or was it some twisted plan of Vicious. Faye uneasily shrugged it off. She was probably better off on her own anyway.  
  
Making her way up the stairs, Faye decided to take the left fork. There was no particular reason for this, except that the direction the right path led to seemed daunting, and unnerving. Still, she made her way up the left fork slowly, unsure if it was truly the right way to go. Each step taken led her to a long corridor that had several doors on either side. Faye looked to each of them, wondering which one Vicious could be hiding in. A sudden noise from downstairs disturbed her; a door was being locked. Despite her best efforts, Faye grew nervous. Hurriedly, she tried opening the first door on the left, and found it locked. She turned and tried the first door on the right, which was also locked.   
  
"Goddamn it," she exclaimed to no one.  
  
"Are you always this pleasant?"  
  
Faye spun around to greet the voice, already knowing who it belonged to. "Only when I need to be," she retorted.  
  
Vicious smiled, sinister, and yet Faye found it intoxicating. "Glad to see you're in a good mood," he said, gliding past her. She tensed at the closeness of his body, heart thumping in her chest. She watched with eagerness as a key was slipped out of his pocket and placed into the keyhole of the fourth door on the right. The door opened without the slightest disturbance to the air. Vicious' hard-set eyes came into contact with her softer ones. "Every door was locked. You're lucky I found you."  
  
He gestured to her to go inside. Faye stared at his outstretched hand, and then followed his direction. The room that greeted her was larger than was perceived, and it held a decor of red and gold.   
  
"Nice little room ya got here," she told him, taking a seat on the blood red sheets of the bed.  
  
"It should be; not every room is like this."  
  
Vicious sat in a chair with cushioning as blood red as the sheets, crossing his legs. Faye could feel his eyes upon her, much like the feeling she had gotten in the car. But this gaze was more powerful, filled with more desire.   
  
"You stare at every girl you see?" Faye stood, pretending to be exasperated and arrogant. She started to roll a piece of a curtain around her finger, tracing the gold lining.   
  
"I would if every girl looked like you."  
  
She scoffed and looked over her shoulder. "Are you trying to flatter me, Vicious? Honestly...."   
  
Faye heard the sound of the chair scrape the floor as he got up. She tensed again as his body heat came in contact with hers. Trying not to tremble, she felt a long finger slide down the back of her neck and across her bare shoulder blade.   
  
"Personally, Ms. Valentine, I don't think you mind."  
  
Faye shivered as Vicious' warm lips kissed her neck and down her shoulder, retracing the steps of his finger. She moaned softly, lifting her arms up to claps her hands at the base of his neck. His hands became restless and she felt them slide down into the inside of her dress, gently caressing the breasts that lay scarcely hidden there. Half of her screamed for it to stop, asking herself why she was so willingly giving herself to him. But the other half of her had feelings that greatly overrode the half that wanted to  
stop. Only God knows how long she had been yearning for this to happen. Ever since the moment she had met Vicious, something inside her had snapped. And now that this moment was happening, there was no way she was going to let it stop.  
  
Being unable to control her feelings any longer, Faye turned and pressed herself against Vicious' body. Looking into those hard set eyes, she could tell that he wanted this just as much as she did. Their lips instantly met in a feverish kiss that lasted through the removal of each other's clothing. Inching closer to the bed, Vicious let himself fall backwards, allowing Faye to fall on top of him. Another kiss was taken before they started to grind their hips in time with one another's. Faye's head swirled in vibrant circles as Vicious filled every fiber of her being. Nothing had ever felt so perfect as being with him that night. Within minutes they had both collapsed, breathing heavily and bodies full of each other. It didn't take long for it to dawn on Faye what had just truly happened: Vicious had made love to her, and had made this the happiest night of her life.   
  
She sighed and pulled him closer to her, finding comfort in his soft heart beat. She smiled. "So you do have a heart after all."   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
THE END!!!! Hmm.....I'm kinda in a predicament about writing more....I was thinking that Spike should walk in on them!!! But then I thought better of it..plus I got tired of writing. So WHADYA THINK?????? Don't forget to R&R!! teehee! ^-^ 


	4. The Realization of Mistakes

well, i've decided to combine these two stories ("an evil obsession" and "aeo: the second round") because people keep getting confused and bugging me about writing more. i've already written more monkeys! you just haven't noticed *hmph* hehe, just kidding folks. well, kinda....  
  
  
  
  
  


Chapter 4

Spike busted his way through the door of the abandoned warehouse, his hand gun cocked and

ready. The guards that had been standing outside had been easily taken down, and Spike could

only hope that if he encountered any more inside that it would be the same  
  


He cautiously surveyed the scene before him, making sure there was no disturbance in the air

before continuing on. Why would Vicious bring her here? And what exactly did he want from

her? Spike cursed himself for not coming sooner. If Faye was dead.... He shook his head, clearing

the thought from his mind. Vicious wouldn't dare go that far.   
  


Don't be stupid Spike, he thought to himself. Of course he would. He's Vicious for Christ's sake.

Making his way up the grand staircase, he stopped at where the stairs split in two, separating into

opposite directions. Spike carefully observed both paths, wondering which one to take. The

problem was resolved as gunshots exploded at him from the top of the right staircase, causing

pain to sear through his left arm. So much for that route.   
  


Spike ducked down to the left and shot a round out to his opposers. After hearing the dying

screech of a dead man and the inevitable thud that came afterwards, Spike ran up the left hand

staircase at top speed, pausing only after taking refuge behind the sharp corner. Pain racked his

left arm, and Spike ripped the bottom of his shirt and tied it around the wound to stop the

bleeding. Suddenly this didn't seem so much like a walk in the park.   
  


~*~  
  


Faye jolted awake from her peaceful slumber. Hearing the unmistakable sound of gunfire, she

turned to her side to awaken Vicious, who had been sleeping soundly beside her, only to find that

he was already up and alert. He stood at the doorway at full attention, a loaded gun held tightly in

an upraised hand. He had put on long black trousers, but his chest was still bare. Tousled hair

covered his head, and the few gleaming specks of his eyes that Faye could see told her that he

knew exactly who was behind the gunshots.  
  


"What's going on?"  
  


Vicious remained poised and concentrated as he answered her. "Spike...." The name dripped with

a venomous hatred that Faye couldn't find in herself to fathom. She knew that Vicious hated the

green-haired idiot even more than she did. Now that was saying something.   
  


"But why is he here?"

A smile crossed Vicious' lips. Faye could feel herself melt at the mere sight of that smile. "Isn't it

obvious? Here's here for you."  
  


Faye refused to believe what she was hearing. "What?! How is that possible?" But even as the

words escaped her lips, the realization came to her. Spike had gone into her room...touched her

bed...and found the note.   
  


"THAT SON OF A BITCH!!" she exploded. She had only been this angry before once in her life,

and that was because some sleaze-ball left all his debts to her. And now...Spike had been pushing

it before, but this was beyond fucking pushing it. Eminating with wild fury, it took Faye a few

moments to realize Vicious was staring at her, a slightly confused expression on his face.   
  


"There something wrong?"  
  


Blushing slightly, Faye jumped out of bed, not caring that Vicious had adverted his eyes down to

her naked body. She dressed quickly and turned to find Vicious still staring at her with that

depthless gaze. Smiling casually, she walked over to him and placed her hand on his, the same

hand that held the gun.  
  


"You should go," she told him, pushing his hand downwards as to lower the gun. "If Spike finds

you...you know he'll try to kill you."  
  


Vicious' eyes bore into her own. "What about you?"  
  


"Oh don't worry. I'll be just fine, right after I kick his ass several times."  
  


The gaze became softer and he reached up a hand to caress her cheek. "Leave some for me now."  
  


Faye smiled. "I can't guarantee that now." Clasping the door knob with her free hand, she kissed

him hard on the lips, the passion that she had felt only hours before flooded her veins, returning

with full force. Reluctantly she pulled away, leaving both of them yearning for more. Without

saying another word, Faye opened the door and slipped out of the room, shutting it quietly behind

her. She knew that if she hadn't of left then, she probably never would have. Sighing heavily, she

closed her eyes and let the silence envelop her. But this moment of serenity didn't last as long as

she would've liked, for seconds later the sound of gunfire came blasting through her head.  
  


Having no more reason to stay, Faye fled down the long corridor that Vicious had led her down.

Reaching its end, she turned the sharp left corner...and ran straight into Spike.   
  


~*~  
  


Not knowing what hit him, Spike sprung backwards as he watched the thing fall to the ground.

Becoming steady again, he aimed his gun at whatever it was. It didn't take him long to realize

that it was Faye; he'd recognize that angry glare anywhere. And apparently, Faye Valentine was

very angry.   
  


"You conniving little bastard!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, after getting back on her

feet.   
  


"What are you talking about Faye? I came here to save your ass and this is the thanks I get?"  
  


"Thanks?!" she bellowed, causing Spike to wince. "I'm not thanking you for anything! Why the

hell don't you just mind your own business for once?!"  
  


It was Spike's turn to get angry. "Vicious is my business, Faye," he spat, his tone dropping

dangerously low. "And I know you know where he is."  
  


She paused, unsure of what to say. Spike spoke for her. "Tell me where he is, Faye."  
  


A defiance taking control, Faye stared Spike straight in the eye, holding there an unwavering

gaze. "He's not here."  
  


Spike narrowed his eyes. "You're lying."  
  


Faye returned the look. "Am I? If you know him so well Spike, then why don't you tell me where

he is?"  
  


She got nothing in response. Instead, Spike turned to leave, not even noticing the sudden absence

of gunfire. But Faye wasn't through with him yet.   
  


"Ya know what, Spike?"  
  


He stopped.   
  


"As much as you think this is your business, it's not. Coming here was my own decision. Did you

hear that, Spike? Mine. I don't care how much you hate Vicious, or how terrible you may think he

is, but let's get one thing straight. My involvement with him has nothing to do with you, okay?

This is not your problem." She paused, taking a moment to let the anger subside. "It's mine."  
  


Having no more to say, she hurriedly pushed her way past him and started down the staircase.   
  


"You're making a mistake, Faye."  
  


The violet-haired beauty stopped, feeling the anger build within her once more. She turned back

to him, a vengeful glint in her eye. "No. The mistake I made, was thinking I could trust you."  
  


Spike watched as she continued her way down the steps in all her haughty glory. The pain in his

arm had somewhat subsided to a dull throbbing, but this wasn't what was on Spike's mind. There

was definitely something wrong with this picture. Why was Faye all of a sudden sticking up for

Vicious? Spike could remember the time when even the mention of his name made Faye quiet,

something not much was able to do. And now here she was acting like she...like she....  
  


A horrible thought engulfed Spike's mind as he recalled Faye's venomous words. How terrible

you may think he is. You may think.... Did that mean that Faye no longer thought Vicious was

terrible? That she could in fact be...?  
  


Spike stopped thinking. Faye had no idea what she was getting herself into, he was more sure of

that now than ever before. Vicious was playing some kind of sick game with her, he had to be.

Spike grimaced at the thought of a woman being used in such a demeaning way, even if it was

Faye. Vicious was using her, just like he had used Julia....  
  


And then it snapped. That was why Vicious wanted Faye. To do what Julia wasn't able to. It all

made sense now. Spike clenched his fists in hated and fury.  
  


"That rat bastard...." he exclaimed, not caring who overheard him, if anyone. It was at that

moment, when Spike made a silent vow to himself to stop Vicious once and for all.   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


YAY! chapter 4 is done!!! muahahaha! oki sry...i got a little carried away there. anyway, hope u

liked the beginning to the sequel. and don't worry kids, chapter 5'll be up by tomorrow night. oki

dokey! *yawns* me go sleepy by now. don't forget to review!!! 

-Meru  
  



	5. The Making of Decisions

Chapter 5  
  
Vicious scolded himself yet again for lack of control. What had happened those few nights ago was never meant to. It had been a big mistake, especially on his part. It doesn't matter, he told himself for the zillionth time. If it gets her closer to me, then it's okay. He sighed in exasperation. Of course it wasn't okay. He had never been so intimate with someone since that night for a long while. Not since Julia....  
  
He shut his eyes, clearing the thought from his system. After losing Julia, he had vowed never to make that mistake again. And up until that night, with Faye, he had kept it. Faye...so alluring and sensual. Yet so forthright and determined. Everything about her he found so...perfect.  
  
Again he scolded for lack of control. This woman meant nothing to him, nothing at all. She was just a tool...yes, a tool. Just a tool for the perfect scheme. So perfect that he didn't understand why he hadn't thought of it before, the first time he had met Faye. Yes, it was the plan that was perfect, not her. Destroy Spike from the inside out....  
  
Vicious smiled something sinister at the thought of Spike dying at the hands of someone he had put his trust in. Julia had been too weak, and instead of growing to hate the rat, like Vicious had, she had grown to love him. The sheer idea of loving Spike made Vicious sick to his stomach. The sheer idea of love made him sick for that matter. But then there was Faye...Faye, who was something completely different. She already hated Spike, or from what Vicious could tell that day in the prison had at least a strong disliking of him. No, getting her to hate Spike wasn't the problem. It was getting her to trust Vicious that would be difficult.   
  
Apparently though, it wasn't as difficult as he had first thought. Sighing, Vicious absent-mindedly thought of their night together. The taste of her lips, the feel of her skin, the smell of her hair...how and why did they intoxicate him so? As hard as he tried, Vicious was unable to fit the pieces together.   
  
No matter, he thought to himself. In a few days, I'll have no more use for her, and I can be rid of her forever. Much to his dismay, the thought of being rid of Faye wasn't as uplifting as it should have been.   
  
~*~  
  
Returning to the Bebop was a living Hell, as Faye knew it would be. Jet refused to stop yelling at her for damn near half an hour, and in return Faye refused to listen to him. She had waited until he had run out of breath before she finished off the moment with a witty remark, and had left to the security of her room, which now didn't feel so secure.   
  
It was here, on her bed, that she lay, going on three days after her confrontation with Vicious. Despite the early hours of the morning, she was unable to go to sleep. Faye made a quick glance over to the clock that rested on her bedside table. Its red lights engraved the numbers that registered in Faye's head as 4:34am. Faye groaned and let her heavy lids droop thankfully over her eyes. Finally relaxing, Faye slowly began to drift into an uneasy sleep, before a heavy thud sounded on the door.   
  
Another groan escaped from her dry lips. "What do you want?"  
  
The door creaked open, allowing warm yellow light to spill into the room. This light, however, was soon blocked by the tall and daunting figure of the green-haired bounty hunter. Faye closed her eyes once more, knowing that if she looked at him she would burst with and unrivaled fury she just didn't have the energy to release right now. "You have a lot of nerve coming in here."  
  
Spike stepped all the way into the room and shut the door behind him, extinguishing the light completely. Faye could feel his different-colored eyes piercing through her. "I thought you'd still be awake."  
  
"Get to the point, Spike."  
  
His tone grew serious. "We need to talk, Faye."  
  
"Spike, I'm tired and I'm pissed so this really isn't a good time to give me a lecture."  
  
There was a deafening silence before he spoke again. "I suppose you're right."  
  
"You know too damn well that I'm right."  
  
Another moment of silence. "I did it for your own good, Faye."  
  
That was it. Sitting up, Faye scoffed, a harsh and uncaring sound. "My own good, huh?" In the darkness, she could only see a shadow of Spike's face, but it was all she needed. "You have no idea what's good for me. You never seemed to care before, so why start now?"  
  
"Oh and I suppose Vicious cares?"  
  
The words stung and bit at Faye's heart. "Who the hell do you think you are?"  
  
"I already know who I am, Faye. The question is, who the hell do you think you are?"  
  
Faye was beginning to have trouble containing her fury. She had heard enough from this asshole who called himself human. She needed him gone, and she needed him gone now.   
  
"Get out."  
  
Spike made no intention of moving and continued to glare at her.   
  
"I said get out!"  
  
The green-haired bounty hunter finally took the hint, and left the distressed Faye to herself. With him finally gone, Faye was able to release the emotions that had been building up inside her, and far into the earlier hours of the morning she lay on her bed, unable to go to sleep, feeling the warmness of the salty tears of pain and resentment that ran down her cheeks.   
  
~*~  
  
The next morning brought a dull throbbing to Faye's head. Slowly and gingerly she got to her feet, all senses blurred because of the nasty migrane she was experiencing. Drowsily, she checked the bedside clock, and to her dismay she found that it was past 1:30pm. Normally, she would've dreaded the thought of Spike never letting her forget the humor of her afternoon risings. But at this point, Faye could care less at what Spike had to say.   
  
After a short, cold shower, Faye dressed and left her room. The daily scene of the Bebop was a normal one. Jet off in the corner sitting on a stool, fiddling with one of his many trinkets and trying to repair it. Young Ed sitting Indian style on the floor, absentmindedly hacking into some system with her "Tomato", and with a lazy Ein (yay!! I remembered!!) lying next to her. And then there was Spike, lounging as usual with his feet up on the arm of the couch, a newspaper in his hands and a cigarette pressed firmly between pursed lips. It was never any different, and usually Faye found it utterly boring, yet in a strange way calming. But today, she found the little picturesque scene horribly irritating.   
  
"Good afternoon, Faye," Jet commented, not even bothering to look up from his work.   
  
"It's nice to see you too, Jet," she retorted grumpily, particularly not in the mood to have to deal with him.  
  
"Faye-Faye! Looky what Ed did!" The small teen then proudly produced a torn piece of paper adorned with colorful depictions of squiggles and lines.   
  
"That's beautiful, Ed," she said, ruffling the youth's spiky red hair. Spike, as usual, remained immobile, puffing on his cigarette in remote silence. His eyes never moved as they looked onto the paper; he obviously wasn't reading it. It was sheer fact that if his chest didn't keep making the necessary movements to depict breathing, Faye would've thought he was dead.   
  
Which wouldn't be such a bad thing, Faye thought to herself, making her slightly more cheerful. But now that the thought had entered her mind, Faye found that she couldn't shrug it off so easily. What if Spike was dead? What would it be like?  
  
I know what it would be like. It'd be like living in complete Heaven. Sighing aloud, she took a much needed seat on a nearby chair. Even though she had slept through half the day, fatigue still flowed through her body like water flowing down glass.   
  
"Thinking about anything important?"  
  
Faye didn't have to ask to know that Spike's question was directed towards her. Now that the topic had come up, Faye realized that there was something important troubling her, even though it had been in the back of her mind. Vicious....  
  
"Yes actually, I am. Not that it's any business of yours."  
  
"No of course not," he replied nonchalantly.  
  
Faye rolled her eyes and shook her head. Apparently Spike didn't feel like arguing with her again either. She crossed both arms and legs and considered her situation. She was caught between Spike, the smooth-talking bounty hunter whom she hated with a vengeance, and Vicious, an emotionless, cold-blooded killer who refused to show mercy. Hmm, now that she thought about it, Vicious hated Spike as well....  
  
A sudden urge came over Faye that refused to subside. She stood up, now suddenly very awake and eager to find Vicious and speak with him. Heading towards the door, a hard voice stopped her in her tracks.  
  
"Don't do it, Faye."  
  
Ignoring him, she opened the door and placed one foot outside its boundaries. Without looking back, she answered him, "Watch me," and clicked the door shut behind her.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
YAY!!!!!!!! wuznt that fabulous??! of course it wuz! *is proud cuz she finished a chapter really fast* okay, im dun congratulating myself. anyway, whadja think? the next chapter is in the process of being written...hopefully ill finish it in the same amount of time i finished this one...and i should considering i hav nuthing else to do!!! anyway, r&r plz!!!   
-Meru


	6. The Final Blow

oki...im just letting all u ppl know now that this is the final FINAL chapter! therell be no more after this, whether u like it or not! o.o...anyway, something very drastic kinda happens at the end, so if u don't like surprises, i don't recommend reading anymore. oh, and for all u Spike lovers out there...im sry ^_~. happy reading folks!! (and don't forget to review!)   
  
  
Chapter 6  
  
It had been four hours since Faye had left the Bebop, and Spike was getting a little anxious. She had gone to find Vicious, he was sure of it. But the purpose was still unclear. It was so amazingly confusing, and Spike hated to be confused. Thoroughly frustrated, he threw down the unread newspaper. This action caused Jet to poke his head around the corner.   
  
"There something troubling you, Spike?"  
  
"Yeah. Faye."  
  
Jet emerged fully from behind the corner and scratched his head thoughtfully. "She always troubles me. Wait, she didn't take any money did she?"  
  
Spike shook his head.  
  
The old man let out a sigh. "Phew. Well that's a relief. But then, why are you so troubled?"  
  
Spike went on to tell Jet everything that had happened, including the note, what had happened at the warehouse, and what Faye had said last night. Spike was relieved that by the end of it, Jet was as confused as he was.   
  
"Hmm, being so emotional doesn't sound like Faye at all. You sure Vicious didn't drug her or something?"  
  
"No, I'm pretty sure that what she was saying was all Faye." Spike sighed, pausing to think. "But what he did to get her talking like that has got me."  
  
"Well, this is just my opinion, but I don't think you should go getting involved with Faye's business. She's already pissed as it is."  
  
"Vicious is my business, Jet. I told Faye the same thing."  
  
"And what did Faye say?"  
  
Spike was silent.   
  
"Yeah, that's what I thought," Jet chuckled.   


"Look, I may not know much, but what I do know is that whatever Vicious wants Faye for, it has something to do with me."  
  
Jet again scratched the back of his head, this time placing a hand on his hip. "Whatever. You do what you want, Spike. I'll be here in the meantime."  
  
Spike watched him slip back around the corner to return to whatever he was doing. The bounty hunter sighed and relaxed his back into the couch. Too wrapped in his own thoughts, he didn't notice the continuous rants of little Ed, who sat on the floor excitedly as a message was displayed across her Tomato.   
  
"Ooh la la, a message is there? How fortunate for Edward!" Without taking her eyes of the computer, she reached out an arm and grabbed Ein by the collar and directed the poor dog's face towards the screen. "Looky Ein! A message there is for Edward!" Ein whimpered for the release he knew he wouldn't receive from this crazy child.   
  
"Ed, could ya keep it down? I'm trying to think."  
  
"*Gasp* Heeey....Spike is in the message too!"  
  
Spike refrained from thinking for a moment to listen to the ranting Ed.   
  
"Ooh, and what's this? The message is coming from Vicious? Ooh la la!"  
  
Not needing to hear anymore, Spike jumped up from his position on the couch and leaped down onto the floor where Ed was sitting. His full attention now onto the message in Ed's computer, he clamped down a shaking hand onto her shoulder.   
  
"Where's the message coming from?"  
  
"Oh, does Spike want to see Ed's message too...?"  
  
"Ed! Tell me where it's coming from!" he cried, shaking her desperately.   
  
"Waaah! Ed find out!" Along with a irritating hum, Ed began to type away at the keyboard, her young and brilliant mind working fast to trace the message.   
  
"Aha!" she cried after several seconds. "Ed is a good girl! Ed found the old lot on 2nd street!"  
  
Spike muttered a quick thanks to the small hacker before speeding off, now knowing exactly where to go. But just before going out the door, he paused to grab a loaded handgun. If he was dealing with Vicious, he wanted to make sure he was ready to settle the final score. He then left, leaving Ed and Ein sitting in front of the still blinking computer, which Ed was staring at drowsily.   


"Is Ed done now?"  
  
Yawning and stretching, Ed knew it was time for a quick nap. She allowed herself to fall backwards, her head instantly connecting with what would've been the floor if Ein's medium sized body hadn't of been there instead. Ed instantly fell asleep, apparently not noticing the difference between the floor and Ein's soft fur. Ein, on the other hand, squirmed and wiggled under the girl's head-weight. Eventually, Ein gave up the struggle, and allowed Edward to sleep on, soon falling into a peaceful, though uncomfortable sleep himself.   
  
~*~  
  
Completely exhausted, Faye slumped gratefully onto the park bench, leaning her tired back into its ridges. For the past four hours she had been searching for Vicious. Four goddamn hours and still not a single clue to his whereabouts. Faye was beginning to think that it was way past time to give up and to start heading back to the Bebop. Oh God...the Bebop. As tired as she was, going back there didn't seem too inviting.   
  
Yawning, she stretched and then lazily let her arms fall to her sides. Maybe she shouldn't go back...but then where would she go? She could always try going to Vicious...but then again, just being able to find the man proved to be difficult, never mind living with him. And anyway, even if she did find him, would he accept her? What if he thought of her as a one night stand?  
  
"Ugh! Just stop thinking about him!"  
  
"Stop thinking about who?"  
  
Faye sprung up to greet the cold-hearted eyes she knew so well. "Oh, um...no one really."  
  
Vicious nodded his head in slight understanding, the fading sunlight catching and shimmering on his silver locks, making them shine in a golden tint. Casting her eyes downward, Faye noticed that strapped to his waist was a slim belt, and hanging by the side of his upper thigh lay his katana, gleaming maliciously as if it belonged there. Seeing it like that made her immediately uncomfortable.   
  
"Mind if I take a seat?"  
  
"N-No. Go ahead."  
  
Soundlessly and effortlessly, Vicious took the open seat beside her. She watched him warily, making sure she wouldn't miss any quick he might make towards his katana.   
  
"Um, just wondering. How did you know I was here?"  
  
He paused before responding. "I keep my eyes everywhere. These eyes tell me what they see, and my knowledge becomes profound." He paused again, this time turning his head to look at her. "You've been looking for me for quite awhile, Ms. Valentine. And I think I know why."  
  
Faye sat there staring wide-eyed at him, too stunned to speak, her mouth open in a silent gasp of surprise. Vicious took the hint of her speechlessness and continued, turning away from her.   
  
"You hate him as well, no?"   
  
Faye knew exactly who he was speaking of. She lowered her head and muttered an answer.   
  
"Hmm, that's what I thought." He turned to her again, now rotating his entire body in her direction. "It is this hate that binds two souls together," he whispered, his voice low and sultry. He used a single finger to push away the strand of hair that had made itself content over Faye's eye, and then slipped his hand behind her neck, pulling her closer to him. "It is because of this hate, that I believe there is something you can do for me."  
  
Faye, knowing very well what she was doing, slid closer to him, so close that their lips brushed against one another's. Becoming bolder by the second, her hand wandered down to Vicious' leg, placing it dangerously close to his pleasure point. "And what might this something be?" she whispered back, making her voice low and deep.  
  
Vicious said nothing, and instead used his free hand to grip her around the waist, pulling her even closer. From their suggestive positioning, any innocent onlooker might've expected to get a free show. But giving some pervert that satisfaction was the last thing on Vicious' mind. Well, maybe not the last thing.   
  
Inching closer to her ear, Vicious whispered the two words that made Faye freeze with an icy unsureness. "Kill Spike."   
  
~*~  
  
Spike hadn't been able to stop pacing for the past half an hour. It wasn't like Vicious to keep him waiting; there must be something up. Spike could only wonder what that something was, and felt a sense of dread wash over him as Faye entered his mind.   
  
"Goddamn it, where the fuck is he?" he asked himself aloud, beginning to lose his patience.   
  
"I'm right here, Spike."  
  
Spike froze at the voice behind him. His guard now completely raised, Spike spun around, the handgun he had brought with him at full attention and aimed straight at his rival's head. Their eyes met, Vicious' stone-gray coals locking onto Spike's amber and green diamonds. Neither of them moved, becoming chiseled statues in the moonlight. Looking at them, taking careful notice of their stature and perfect forms, it didn't come as a surprise to know that they were once apart of the same Syndicate.   
  
There were minutes of tense silence before Vicious became the one to back down first, releasing the hilt of his katana. Spike did the same, only he lowered his gun. Being the one that had backed out first made it necessary for Vicious also to be the one to break the silence, which he did without hesitation.   
  
"Been waiting long?"  
  
A small smirk spread across Spike's face. "Only God knows for how long."  
  
Vicious' eyes narrowed. "God doesn't know anything."  
  
"Then let me tell you what I know," Spike growled, a seriousness overtaking him. "I know that you've been playing dirty with Faye."  
  
"Is that so?"  
  
"Don't play stupid with me Vicious. We both know you have the brains to think up a scheme like this."  
  
"I see." The pale moonlight reflected off a hungry malice in Vicious' eyes, though his face showed absolute calm. "Tell me, Spike. What is this great scheme that I've created that you seem to know so much about?"  
  
Spike greatly unappreciated the fact he was being toyed with. By playing this little game, Spike knew Vicious was stalling. But why? There didn't seem to be any reason to be. Vicious had come alone after all. Or had he...?  
  
"Where is she, Vicious?"  
  
"Don't worry. Ms. Valentine is in good hands."  
  
Now Spike knew for sure something was very out of place. If Vicious had killed Faye, he would've said so straight out. And if he was holding her hostage, he would've used that fact to lure Spike into a trap, much like he had last time. This wasn't like any of Vicious' set ups, and for once Spike found himself at a loss for what to do.   
  
But not for what to say. "I swear if you've done anything to her I'll...."  
  
"You'll what?" Vicious cut in. "Kill me? I think you'll soon find yourself to be dead long before I will."  
  
Spike's hand tightened on the gun as Vicious stepped back, revealing to Spike's horror that Vicious had in fact not come alone.   
  
"F-Faye?"  
  
"Surprise."  
  
A piercing cry leapt from Spike's mouth as hot pain shot through the right side of his chest. The gun fell to the floor, lying useless as Spike fell to his knees beside it. Clutching his chest, Spike felt the warm presence of his own blood seep through his fingers. His vision blurred from the amount of pain he was experiencing, and Spike was now only able to see Faye's shadowy outline as she lowered the gun and stepped towards him.   
  
"Damn. I always knew my shot was off."  
  
Spike blinked several times so as to clear his vision. He watched with disgust as Vicious pulled Faye in close for a heated kiss. So that was how he did it.   
  
"Smart...real smart...." he wheezed, barely able to breathe let alone talk.   
  
Faye pulled away from Vicious to turn to Spike. Her gaze was heavy with contempt as she looked at him.  
  
"If you don't mind, love, I'd like to finish him off myself," she said to Vicious, who was contentedly wrapping his arms around her slim waist. Even though she wasn't speaking to him. her eyes had never left Spike for a second.   
  
"Whatever you wish, Ms. Valentine," Vicious replied before hungrily planting kisses on the base of Faye's neck.   
  
She giggled and shrugged him off, focusing all her attention on the fallen Spike. The blood that was running through his fingers was becoming swifter and more frequent, and Spike knew that even though the wound wasn't that serious, it would become so if the bleeding wasn't stopped.   
  
"Ya know Spike," she told him, sounding quite cheerful while beginning to reload the gun. "I've always wanted to see you on your knees before me. How ironic that it's the last thing you'll ever do."  
  
With the gun successfully loaded, Spike could do nothing but look on as Faye pointed the barrel to the place where it would be practically impossible to miss: his head.   
  
"Well then," she continued, her voice as equally as cheerful as before, "I hope you've had a nice life Spike, because it's about to end."  
  
Spike closed his eyes, waiting for her to do the job. But when nothing came, his eyes burst open in a spark of hope.   
  
"Oh yes, I almost forgot. Julia wanted me to send her love."  
  
Spike's heart wrenched at the thought of the golden-haired beauty, who he would never be able to see again....  
  
"Hmm, too bad you'll never be able to send it back."  
  
These were the last words Spike ever heard, before plunging one final time into eternal blackness.   
  
  
  
  
okay, its DONE!!!! and for good this time!! well, maybe if u Spike lovers don't flame me too bad, ill be nice and write an alternate ending. MAYBE!!!! *pouts* hmm, i dunno. oh well, ill give it some thought, and perhaps ull get lucky. until then, ull just have to be satisfied with this ending, and TOO BAD if ur not because I AM! hmph!   
-Meru


End file.
